Switch



Oct. 29, 1935.

J. R. RIPPE .swncn Filed June 26, 1933 FIE E F I I5 226 INVENTOR John E F/ppe BY j ATTORNEYS 'atented Oct- 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH John R. Bippe, Fresno, Calif.

Application June :8, 1933, Serial No. 677,621

1 Claim. (Cl. 201-51) The invention, generally, pertains to means for making and breaking an electrical circuit and, in articular, relates to means of such character rhich are thermo-responsive.

The switch of my invention has been designed rimari1y for use in connection with cooling sysam of automotive vehicles and, accordingly, refernce will be made herein to the location of he switch in such a combination.

An object of the invention is to provide means or automatically placing into and out of operaion units for circulating air or cooling water, or or controlling the flow of cooling water, about an nternal combustion engine in response to variaions in temperature of the engine.

Another object of. the invention is to provide a witch which is readily and inexpensively intalled and which requires a minimum of attenion for relatively long operation.

A still further object of the invention is to irovide a switch of the aforementioned charicter which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention as well as the foregoing will appear from the following descripion of the preferred embodiment and of the mo modified embodiments of the invention which ire illustrated in the accompanying drawing. While but three embodiments of the invention are ihOWli, it is to be understood that the invention is :o be accorded a scope commensurate with the :tate of the prior art.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention together with a diagram of the electrical circuit.

Figure 2 is an elevation of a modified embodi- :nent of the invention, illustrating diagrammati- :ally the electrical circuit which it controls.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of another modi ication of the invention, together with a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit which it is adapted to control.

The switch of my invention is especially suitable for controlling the operation, either in definite sequence or in combination, of one or more units of a cooling system of an internal combustion engine, and in its preferred form pref arably comprises a pair of relatively movable contacts interposed in an electrical circuit which includes an operating unit or units, together with thermo-responsive means-for moving one of said contacts relative to the other to make and break the circuit.

The device which is illustrated in Figure 1 constitutes a slow-acting thermo-responsive switch which includes a metallic bellows ll supported on a frame l2 which can be secured adjacent to the engine of an automotive vehicle and arranged so that the bellows is in contact with the water cooling system of the engine or in any such position on or near the engine that the bellows is influenced by the heat of the cooling liquid used as a cooling medium in the engine. If desired, however, the bellows II can be supportedso as to be immersed in the water flowing through one of the pipes or in the water of the water cooling system of the engine. The bellows is filled with any suitable liquid which is expansible upon heating, such as a mixture ofalcohol and water. Preferably the mixture is such that when the engine reaches a temperature of approximately 200 Fahrenheit the liquid boils and vaporizes and increases in volume, and the bellows expands correspondingly. When the temperature of the engine drops below a value of approximately 200 Fahrenheit, the vapor in the bellows condenses to liquid form and decreases to its initial volume, and the bellows correspondingly contracts to its initial or normal position. The temperature of the boiling point of the liquid used in the bellows may be varied by varying the proportions of alcohol and water so as to vary the temperature at which the bellows expands and so obtain the desired operating temperature of the engine.

The bellows ll carries a rod I! which is slidably supported in the framework l2 and which pierces a cylindrical casing I4 mounted upon the framework to engage a metal disc l6 disposed in the bottom of the casing. Preferably, the casing 3 I4 is filled with a plurality or pile of carbon discs i! or, if desired, granulated carbon may be utilized 'in place of the carbon discs, the discs l1 supporting a metal disc II which is adapted to be moved into engagement with a contact i9 which is insulated from the casing l4 and which is connected in an electrical circuit 21. The casing it is insulated from the framework I! of the device, as well as from the metal disc IS, the

carbon discs n, the metal disc l8, and the contact IS. The framework l2 also is interposed in the electrical circuit II which may have as its source of power the standard or conventional storage battery 22 of the automotive vehicle in connection with which the switch of my invention is employed. The electrical circuit 2| also may include an operating unit 23 of the cooling system of an internal combustion engine, such as a variable speed motor for driving the fan and the pump, or either, of the cooling system.

2 aoiaoss In operation, and assuming that the engine is cold, the bellows ll remains contracted or in its normal state. However, after the engine has become heated and attains a temperature oi approximately 200' Fahrenheit, the liquid in the bellows boils and the increase in volume of the vaporized liquid causes an expansion of the bellows, the rod ll thereby moving upward to bring the carbon discs II, which are supported by the metal disc it, into engagement with the metal disc i8, hence pushing the latter into engagement with the contact I! and closing the circuit 2|.

-Initially, the pressure upon the carbon discs I!- is relatively small, so that but a small amount of current flows in the circuit 2| which is suillcient to drive the variable speed motor 28 at a relatively slow speed. As the temperature 01' the engine increases, the pressure oi the rod is on the metal disc It increases the pressure onthe reducing the pressure upon the discs l1 and iilnally breaking the circuit 21 to cut out the operation of the motor 23. If desired, a simple make-and-break or quick action switch can be made with the above-described device, by eliminating the carbon discs I1 and permitting direct engagement of the metal discs l6 and i8 upon a raising of therod l2 which forces the disc I! into direct engagement with the contact is.

While Ihave' stated that the unit22 may be a variable speed motor which is controlled by the variable resistance aflorded by the carbon discs ll, the unit 23 may be anyone or more of severaloperating units of the cooling system of an internal combustion engine. For example, an electric clutch can be interpowd in the circuit 2| and used in conjunction with an electric motor for driving the fan or the pump of the cooling system. Further, two clutches may be utilized, if desired. The clutch can be made slow acting, so that when a relatively small current flows through the circuit 2| the pump or the fan is driven relatively slowly. As the resistance of the .carbon discs I! is decreased and the current in the circuit 2| is increased, the clutch engages more firmly to increase the speed of the pump .or the fan. Moreover, if desired, the unit 23 may be an electrically-operated valve for controlling the flow of water in the cooling system ingly. Y

In Figure 2 of the drawing I have illustrated a modified embodiment of the invention in which a metallic bellows III is supported upon the framework 2 in contact with the engine of an automotive vehicle, or in such a position as to v be influenced by the heat of the liquid used as a cooling medium for the engine. The bellows is adapted to expand and contract in response to increases and decreases, respectively, in volume of a heat-responsive liquid contained ina chamber of the bellows. The liquid in the bellows can be a mixture of alcohol and water which, at a temperature of approximately 200 Fahrenheit,

more or less, depending upon the proportion of alcohol to water used, causes an expansion of the bellows and which, when the temperature falls below 200 Fahrenheit, more or less, causes a contraction of the bellows.

In accordance with the invention, a metallic lever III is insulated from and flexibly secured, through the rod shown, to the bellows Ill and is fulcrumed about a metallic upright I It carried upon and insulated from a support I it which is mounted upon the framework H2. Another metallic upright or standard Ill, having a con- 1 tact member ill thereon, is carrledupon and insulated from the support 8, as illustrated, and movement of the lever H3 upon expansion and contraction of the bellows Ill places a contact 2, which is carried by the lever ill, into and 1 out of engagement, respectively, with the contact ill, thereby making and breaking an electrical circuit l2l,

The circuit |2l may have as its source of power the storage'battery I22 01' the automotive vehicle 2 in which the switch of my invention is employed. One conductor of the circuit I2! is connected to one side of the battery I22 and through an oper-- ating unit I23 to the metallic lever H2, and another conductor leads from the other side of g the battery to the metallic upright I II. The circuit i2l may include one or more operating units I23, as desired, which are controlled by the switch. A core I24 of magnetizable material, about which a winding I26 is coiled and which 1 is energized when the circuit is closed, can, if desired. be interposed in the circuit and mounted upon the support 6 adjacent the metallic lever H3. The core serves to hold the lever H3 when the circuit is closed to prevent chattering of the 1 contacts Ill and H9.

In Figure 3 oi the drawing I have illustrated still another modification of the invention, in which is provided a metallic bellows 2 similar to the bellows hereinabove described and included 4 in the modification of Figures 1 and 2. The bellows is supported on a framework 2l2 so as to be in contact with or in proximity to the engine of an automotive vehicle, or in such a position that it may be influenced by the heat of the cooling mel dium of the engine. The frame carries a metallic rod 2 l2 which is insulated from the bellows 2| I. The frame 2l2 also supports a plurality of metallic blocks 2 I which are insulated from one another and from the frame, each block holding a metallic flexible strip 2H, 2l0, 2H and 2". The strips 2 i5 and 2|! carry single-face contacts 2 l9, while the intermediate strips 2l8 and 2 l1 carry double-face contacts 220, as illustrated. The separate blocks of the group of blocks 2 I l are separately connected through operating units 223, 224- and 228 into an electrical circuit 22! which has a battery 222 as the source of power, the battery being, if desired, the storage battery of the automotive vehicle in connection with which the i switch is to be used. One side of the battery 222 is connected to the insulated metallic block which is adjacent the frame 2 l2 and which is connected to the strip 2", and the other side of the battery is connected independently, through each 1 of the operating units 222, 224 and 220, to each of the other insulated metallic blocks, which are in turn in contact respectively with the connected metallic strips 2i, 2H and M8.

In accordance with the invention, different 1 operating units 223, 22! and 228 are connected in the circuit 22l, but separately or independently.

as shown, to the separate insulated metallic blocks of the group of blocks 2", the lower one of which, holding the strip H5, leads to one side! a battery 222. The imit 222 may be an elecly-operated clutch or a pair clutches, for ngthepumporthefan,orboth,ofthe 1g system of the engine into driving conon with an electric motor 224. 'lhe unit 226 be an electrically-operated valve for conng the iiow of water in the water cooling m of the engine. It is to be understood that not to be limited to an arrangement wherell three units are placed into operation, in Iination or in sequence, but that any arrangeof units in the circuit 22l, more or less than 2, can be eflected within the scope of the inon. The elimination or the addition of a .llic strip and its metallic block and con- )rs will aiford a variety of hook-ups for the aim of units, either singly or in combination. \e expansion and contraction of the bellows unctions to place first one, then another, and ly all three of the units into operation and, ispondingly, functions to take these units in out of operation. As the bellows expands, :od 2i! rises into engagement with the mestrip 2|! and gradually flexes the strip so the contact 2i! thereon engages the contact if the strip 2|. to close the circuit 22! which ides the battery 222 and the unit 222. As rod 213 further rises, the metallic strip 2" is flexed to bring the contact 222 thereon engagement with the contact 22! on'the 2H and thus places the unit 224 as well as mit 223 into operation. A further rise of the lit flexes the metallic strip 2ll to bring the act 22. thereon into engagement with the contact-.2" onstrip2ll andthuscompleteacircult which includes not only the units 2!! and 224 but also the unit 220 It is obvious that the arrangement may be such that any one .of the severalunitsofacoolingsystemcanbeplaced 5 into operation ahead of the others, and vice versa.

in accordance with the operating conditions 0! the engine and the of the user of the device, andthis can be eifected merely by changing the leads from such units to the separate metallic blocks of the group of blocks 214 which are separately connected through the operating units 222, 224 and 228 to the opposite side of the battery 222 from which the lower block with the strip 2!! is connected.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing the preferred embodiment and certain modiflcations thereof, it is to be understood that the invention can take a plurality and variety of forms, all within the scope of the invention as delined in the appended claim.

' I claim:

A'switch for use in controlling an operating unit in the cooling system of an engine comprising a frame, a stationary contact at one end of said frame, a movable contact, a thermally responsive expansible bellows at one end fastened to the other end of said frame, a compressible resistance interposed between said movable contact and said bellows, and a stem on said bellows and guided by said frame for transmitting movement of said bellows first to abut said movable contact with said stationary contact and then to compress said resistance.

JOHN R. RIPPI. $5 

